Vinetail's Story (Chapter 9 - 12)
by EchoTheCat
Summary: Three moons passed since Vinetail became a warrior alongside Snowpelt and Nightsky. She and Nightsky received apprentices of their own and they slowly build a strong relationship. After Forestclan is attacked, Blazestar decides its best they leave and find their home with the four clans.


This is an original Fan-Fic by me, Maple. I want to say that the original story this is base off (Warriors, duh) belongs to Erin Hunter. I do not own any characters from her original stories, only the cats in this series of Fan-Fics.

If you have not read the first part of this Fan-Fic (Prologue – Chapter 8), I recommend reading that first:

s/12076238/1/Vinetail-s-Story-Prologue-Chapter-8

FORESTCLAN

Leader: Blazestar - Ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Hazelwhisker – Beautiful she-cat with a soft brown pelt

Medicine Cat: Rosepetal – Silver with red spots along back and hind legs

Apprentice - Bluepaw

Warriors:

Tigerfang – Light tabby tom

Falconclaw – Brown tabby tom with hazel eyes

Autumnleaf – Dark ginger she-warrior

Ashheart – Dark grey tom with a black chest

Daisyfoot – Cream-yellow with white front paws

Finchfeather – Grey-brown tom with white tips and belly and bright blue eyes

Owlwing – White with grey legs and brown tips

Dawnrise – Tawny-white she-cat

Maplefox – Ginger she-cat with a fluffy tail, almost like a fox.

Shadowstone – Black with grey tail tip and muzzle

Pinebark – Tan with brown stripes and green eyes

Dovewhisper – White she-cat, partially blind.

Leaffall – Brown thick-furred she-cat

Emberburn – Small, tawny she-cat

Sharpthorn – Tan-brown with black stripes

Nightsky – Dark blue-grey with dark blue eyes

Apprentice - Silverpaw

Vinetail – Brown she-cat with a slight black overcoat on her back with soft green eyes

Apprentice - Rainpaw

Snowpelt – Pure white, fluffy she-cat with blue eyes

Axel – Light tabby tom with hazel eyes

Apprentices:

Silverpaw – Light grey she-cat with grey swirl pattern across back

Rainpaw – Grey speckled tom

Bluepaw – Silver tom with white paws and bright blue eyes

Queens:

-No Queens right now-

Elders:

Half-face – Tortoiseshell she-cat with half her face burnt

Lynxtail – Grey tabby tom with a stumpy tail

Treebreeze – Brown tom

CHAPTER 9

"Vinetail, we've got patrol." A voice meowed, interrupting the dusty brown she-cat's dream. Vinetail blinked her eyes open to see Snowpelt poking her head into the warriors den. Three moons past since they became warriors, and since there were no apprentices left.

Vinetail lifted herself from her warm mossy bed. As she padded out into the clearing, cool air hit her.

"Great Starclan, leaf-bare is coming quick!" Vinetail murmured as she walked with Snowpelt to the gorse tunnel.

"Who else is coming?" Vinetail asked as they waited outside camp.

"Ashheart." Snowpelt replied as the grey tom walked through the gorse tunnel to meet with him. The leaf-fall wind made the black fur on his chest move to the left.

"Come on, let's get on with this." Ashheart muttered, brushing past the young warriors.

The three warriors padded through the forest in the direction of the old Bear River. Vinetail's mind flooded with memories of Blackbird, who was known as Blackpaw when he was killed by the bear along with Pumpkin, and her long lost father, Greystar, who was shot accidently by a Two-leg, stripping all nine lives from him. In honour of his death, Blazestar gave Blackpaw his warrior name, Blackbird?

"Hey, guys check this out!" Snowpelt called. Vinetail padded over. Snowpelt had found some burdock. Their roots helped stop infections, especially with rat bites.

"Great, we should tell Rosepetal when we return back to camp." Vinetail meowed. She waited for Ashheart to agree, but he stood there, looking at the burdock. Then the grey warrior bent down and opened his mouth to breath in the scent.

"There has been rogues here." Ashheart announced after a moment. "Let's get back to camp. Bring some burdock for Rosepetal."

When the patrol returned, Ashheart immediately reported to Blazestar about their discovery and Snowpelt took the burdock to Rosepetal. Vinetail padded to the fresh-kill pile and picked up a rabbit and sat outside the warriors den. She began to eat her rabbit as she noticed Nightsky returning from a hunting patrol. He bounded over to the fresh-kill pile before joining her.

"Hey. How was patrol with grumpy old Ashheart?" Nightsky joked.

"Ok, I guess." Vinetail laughed, taking a bite of her rabbit. "We found some rogue scents. How about you?"

"We didn't catch much." Nightsky replied.

"That's too bad."

"Yeah." Nightsky agreed. "Hey, how about you and I go hunting later?"

"Sure."

Snowpelt returned from Rosepetal's den, carrying a vole from the fresh-kill pile.

"Hey, you two love birds!" The white she-cat purred, jokingly.

"What?" Vinetail asked confused.

"What do you mean?" Nightsky meowed confusingly.

"I mean you two, always hanging out." Snowpelt replied. "The last person I remembered Vinetail acted like she is around was Blackbird. She liked him, so why is this different?"

"That's not true!" Vinetail stammered.

"Really? How come you both wait for each other to eat or go to bed?" Snowpelt responded. "Not to mention, Nightsky always says they don't catch much on hunting patrols, just so you can hunt together."

"Ok, what if we _did_ like each other?" Nightsky meowed with narrow eyes. "What's the crime?"

"Nothing. It's just _every_ cat _knows_ you like each other." Snowpelt replied. "It bugs us all. You two are so mouse-brained if you never noticed that we knew this."

"Nightsky, could you excuse us?" Vinetail purred to the dark blue warrior.

"Sure." Before he left, he gave her a quick lick behind her ear.

"See?!" Snowpelt meowed.

"Ok, I really like Nightsky. But I still love Blackbird." Vinetail murmured.

"Blackbird loved you too." Snowpelt murmured. "But no cat is rushing you." Snowpelt added softly, but loud enough for Vinetail to hear. "You'll know when you need to move on." Snowpelt gave her a friendly lick and continued. "How about you go hunting with Nightsky and we talk later on."

Vinetail couldn't help purring at the thought of hunting with the handsome dark tom. Then she shook the thought from her mind as she noticed Pinebark and Dawnrise, who were sitting nearby, looking at her, amused by her little crush.

Vinetail padded through the gorse tunnel with a rabbit and two voles in her jaws, with Nightsky as the two returned from hunting. The sun had just begun to set. They took some fresh-kill and sat outside the warriors den to eat.

"So, I was thinking about what Snowpelt said." Nightsky began. "She _is_ right about one thing. We _do_ like each other."

Vinetail remained silent.

"Well, I like you…" Nightsky looked at Vinetail. She looked up, her eyes clouded with sadness. "Do you like me?"

"Of course I do!" Vinetail replied.

"I understand if you don't want to start anything serious." He mewed softly to her. "After all Blackbird and you were always meant to be together, and I understand if you're still grieving for him."

"Thanks." Vinetail purred, even though the thought of the black tom stabbed her heart like the claws of Starclan.

As they ate, a yowl came from the Highrock.

"Cats who are old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting." Blazestar yowled. "Three of the clan's kits have reach three moons of age; Silverkit, Rainkit and Bluekit." The three kits scrambled up the Highrock to Blazestar. "I wanted to keep their mentors a surprise, apart from Bluekit's. Rosepetal has requested an apprentice." The leader announced, looking at the silver-red medicine cat. "Bluekit, from now on, until you have received your warrior name, you will be known as Bluepaw. Rosepetal, you are a skilled medicine cat and I trust you will do a great job mentoring Bluepaw."

The cats touched noses, and the silver tom scrambled down with Rosepetal.

"Silverkit, from now on, you will be known as Silverpaw. Your mentor will be Nightsky." The clan murmured with disagreement and agreement. "You are a skilled warrior, and you have proved that when you travelled through the Two-leg place. And this leads to our last kit's mentor." Blazestar continued, looking briefly at Vinetail. "Rainkit, you will now be known as Rainpaw. Vinetail, you were mentored by myself, and I am pleased with how skilled a warrior you have become. Pass down what I have taught to your apprentice."

Vinetail gasped as she looked at the grey kit who was smiling at the she-warrior. Clearly, he had heard all the tales of how she, Nightsky and Snowpelt travelled through the Two-leg place. Vinetail's heart thumped in her chest as she climbed up to touch noses with her new apprentice. _I'm a mentor now,_ Vinetail thought _and it's my responsibility to train this apprentice the best I can._

CHAPTER 10

Vinetail padded through the forest. The trees wrapped around her like a blanket. She reached a log crossing over a river. A familiar black cat appeared from the sky.

"Blackbird!" Vinetail meowed loudly as the black warrior walked up to her.

"Vinetail, I don't have long." He murmured.

"Blackbird, I'm so sorry. I loved you and now… you're gone!"

"It isn't your fault." Blackbird responded. "Vinetail. I love you too, and I want you to be happy. Your heart has moved on, but your head doesn't know it yet. You love Nightsky."

"But, I miss you."

"I miss you too. I know, maybe if I wasn't such a fool, I would still be alive and things would be different. Maybe even Pumpkin would be alive too." Blackbird hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Vinetail, if Nightsky makes you happy, you need to move on from me. I only want you to be happy! I will always love you, and I know you will always have a special place for me in your heart, but it's time to let go."

Vinetail nodded as tears streamed down her cheeks. Blackbird licked the tears before fading away into the starry sky. Vinetail stayed in the forest for a moment, alone with the scents of the lost warrior that she loved. _He's right. It's time to let go._

Vinetail woke in the warriors den. Some cats where still asleep, but she could hear that most of the clan was up. She lifted herself from her bedding and saw Snowpelt had gone, but Nightsky was still asleep. She padded up to the dark blue warrior and prodded him with her paw.

"Hey..!" He mumbled in annoyance as he slowly opened his eyes.

"We've got training." Vinetail whispered.

"But we've been warriors for three moons now." He responded as he lifted himself from the moss beneath. Then his eyes widened when he realized it was Silverpaw and Rainpaw's first day of training. "Well, let's go!"

The two warriors padded over to the apprentice's den. Rainpaw and Silverpaw were already waiting for them. They had a few voles there.

"We got you something to eat!" Silverpaw purred.

"Hurry up! I want to learn how to fight!" Rainpaw mewed impatiently.

"I want to learn how to hunt!" Silverpaw added.

"You will learn everything there is to know about being a warrior." Nightsky purred. "But first, Vinetail and I are going to need to show you the territory first."

"Yay!" Silverpaw exclaimed, jumping about.

Quickly, Nightsky and Vinetail ate their voles while their apprentices were busy fussing over who's going to be better at what and so.

"Let's go!" Vinetail meowed as she finished the last bite of her vole. The cats padded through the gorse tunnel and headed towards the rabbit hollow.

"This is where you can catch rabbits and sometimes some mice if they wonder far enough." Vinetail meowed. She heard a rustle and her ears pricked up. She dropped into a hunter's position and stalked her prey every so carefully. Then, she pounced, instantly killing the rabbit.

"Wow! I want to learn that!" Silverpaw meowed amazed. Vinetail's mind flooded back to when she was an apprentice and she had said the exact thing when Daisyfoot caught a rabbit.

"You will eventually." Nightsky purred. "Let's go explore the rest of the territory."

After exploring the sun rocks, the cats returned to the river.

"Is this where Greystar died?" Rainpaw asked. Vinetail didn't respond. Then she saw regret in the apprentice's eyes as he realized he triggered her emotions. "Sorry…"

"It's ok." Vinetail calmly responded.

"Hey, are you and Nightsky together?" Silverpaw interrupted.

"What do you mean?" Vinetail asked, confused. "What's Nightsky been telling you?" She added jokingly.

"Nothing… It's just, you do everything together!"

Vinetail remembered the dream that night, with Blackbird.

"Well," Vinetail began.

"You're a bit young to understand." Nightsky responded.

When they returned back to camp, most cats were either out hunting or on patrol. The apprentices bounded to their den to talk and Vinetail and Nightsky padded to the warriors den.

"Nightsky," Vinetail began, hesitating, wondering how to tell him about the dream. "Blackbird came to me in a dream last night…"

"What did he tell you...?" Nightsky asked nervously.

"He told me… He wants me to be happy." Vinetail continued. "And if you make me happy, then I need to stop grieving and move on."

Nightsky didn't respond. He looked down at his paws.

"I'm ready to move on." Vinetail added, reassuringly.

"But, you will always have a place for Blackbird in your heart." Nightsky finished for her. Vinetail nodded and licked the dark warrior's cheek.

"This is hard for you too. I know that Pumpkin loved you."

"But I did not love her back…" Nightsky admitted. Suddenly Axel strolled up beside him.

"I'm preparing to leave. You fellas seem to be getting well once again." The light tabby meowed.

"Axel, stay." Nightsky said. "Become a warrior."

"I'm afraid I can't. My place is with the Two-legs." Axel strolled away. Before he left, he padded into Blazestar's den.

CHAPTER 11

Vinetail wandered through the forest. She knew she was dreaming, but she couldn't help to hunt for the clan anyways. She sniffed the air for prey, but scented a familiar cat. Vinetail's eyes widened as she saw the familiar black warrior brush past her.

"Vinetail, Starclan has explained to me about our journey." He meowed. "We were supposed to journey further. We are supposed to return home… But to our new home, with the four other warrior clans!"

"But, where do we go?" Vinetail murmured to the starry warrior.

"From the forest's Moonstone, travel towards the sun." He paused and glanced down at his paws. "I should not be telling you any of this." He muttered as he faded away into the night sky.

Vinetail woke in her bedding. Nobody was awake apart from the cats that left to go on dawn patrol. Suddenly a yowl came from the clearing. The sleeping cats grunted as they were forced to wake up. Vinetail sat in the clearing wondering what the commotion was about.

"Blazestar!" Tigerfang yowled as anger and fear clouded in his eyes. "A clan of rogues are demanding territory! They're coming this way right now…!" The bulky warrior stumbled and Vinetail immediately noticed a deep gash across his side. He fell to the ground and blood poured from his side, thick and red, staining his light brown pelt. His eyes widened as his jaws dropped, blood still trickling from his wound. Rosepetal rushed to his side.

"Stay with us Tigerfang!" She meowed softly, pressing cobwebs on his wounds.

"No, I stayed to warn the clan, but it is time to join Starclan." He muttered before his eyes slowly lightened as his spirit join their warrior ancestors.

"Pity, pity," A voice crackled from the gorse tunnel. A black-and-white cat shouldered into the camp. He wore a collar spiked with what seemed to be teeth. "To have lost a warrior. But you'll all be joining him once we're finished here." The tom laughed, snarling at the clan. "I am Bone, leader of Bloodclan. Of course you could live if you give up your territory now."

Vinetail's mind flashed to her dream. She bit back telling them that they would have to leave.

"Never." Blazestar hissed.

"Fine, have it like that!" Bone spat, pouncing at the leader. The rest of the clan attacked.

A brown she-cat pounced on her, digging her razor-sharp claws into her shoulders, baring her teeth. Vinetail kicked her off, leaving cuts across her stomach as the she-cat flew off. But it wasn't over. She charged up, but Vinetail skidded out of the way, letting her run into a tree. Vinetail held her down and bit the Bloodclan warrior in the throat. Then Vinetail heard a yowl in the middle of the clearing where Bone and Blazestar were fighting. Bone had the ginger leader pinned down. The Bloodclan leader sunk his teeth into Blazestar's neck, killing him with a deathblow. _Oh, Starclan. I pray that this does not take all Blazestar's nine lives too!_ Vinetail thought. She was interrupted by a little cat tugging her tail.

"I can't be here!" It mewed. "I hate Bloodclan!" Vinetail saw deep gashed in the kits flank, like it had been purposely harmed. "All they do is kill!"

Suddenly, a familiar cat pounced into the camp. For a moment, Vinetail thought it was Tigerfang, but it was Axel! Axel pinned down Bone.

" _You_ stole my kit, tormented him, banished me from my own home, and now you come and try take this innocent clan's territory! _And_ you've killed Blazestar!" The light tabby hissed. "I'm glad I rejected your offer when I did!"

Blazestar struggled up from the ground. _He lived!_ Vinetail exclaimed silently. The leader pounced at Bone.

"I killed you!" He spat. Then the vicious leader fell silent as though his mind was elsewhere. "Oh, you believe in those _Starclan_ tales?"

"I don't believe it!" Axel murmured. Blazestripe clawed Bone's eye, then killed the black-and-white cat with a quick deathblow. Axel looked past the death and saw Vinetail. She thought he was going to greet her, but he saw looking at the kit beside her.

"Dad!" The kit mewed.

"Ripple!" Axel meowed shocked. The two cats ran towards each other and reunited. "Bless this clan! I thought I'd never see you again!"

Vinetail looked around the camp. Bodies lay on the ground. Nightsky was among these cats. She raced up to him warily.

"Nightsky!" She mewed. "I can't lose you too!"

Vinetail laid beside him and licked the blood from his neck. _Don't die! You can't die!_ She thought.

"I'm not going anywhere." He mumbled. Vinetail looked at him and he was looking at her worried. "Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Silverpaw is…" He meowed softly. "She is dead."

"What? What happened?"

"I was trying to save her from a Bloodclan warrior but I didn't make it in time and only got a blow to the neck."

"It's ok Nightsky…"

"No, it isn't! I could've helped but I didn't!"

"It isn't your fault!"

"But I…"

"No, Nightsky. It's not _your_ fault!" Vinetail sighed. "Blazestar lost his first life… But then he killed Bone." Nightsky nodded.

"Leaffall is over there." Nightsky meowed softly, pointing towards the still warrior. "I'm not sure whether she is dead."

"I'll tell Rosepetal. And I'll get her to check on you." Vinetail mewed, licking the dark warrior behind his ear and on his forehead.

"Thanks." Nightsky mumbled as Vinetail trotted away. She padded towards the silver-red she-cat, tending wounds of others.

"Hello Vinetail." The young medicine cat meowed. "What can I do for you?"

"Nightsky has some injuries."

"I'll go and see to them once I've finished with Falconclaw's wounds."

"You might also want to check Leaffall. Nightsky says she hasn't moved a mussel since she was attacked."

Rosepetal stopped licking away the blood from Falconclaw's flank. She glanced over at Leaffall then turned away terrified. She looked at Vinetail, her eyes clouded with misery.

"Leaffall is dead."

"What?!" Vinetail yowled. The whole clan must've heard. "But she's only been made a warrior." She muttered quieter.

"But Starclan decided it was time for her to join them." Rosepetal murmured. "Silverpaw was killed also."

"Yeah, Nightsky told me…" Vinetail murmured. She sat for a moment in silence. How many warriors could they lose in one battle? What if she loses Snowpelt or Nightsky? What if the whole clan is killed by the time they return home? "Do you need any help, Rosepetal?"

"Sure. Could you finish cleaning Falconclaw's wound while I go and get started on Nightsky?"

Her heart throbbed with frustration and jealousy. She would have liked to be helping with Nightsky's wounds, instead, she was cleaning another tom's fur from blood. But Vinetail did not object, just nodded friendly and started licking the tabby warrior's flank. Each lick became slower than the last, each lick filled with grief for the lives lost today. As she finished cleaning Falconclaw's fur, Snowpelt limped over.

"Hi Vinetail." She mewed. "I'm off to Rosepetal's den. One of those stupid rogues nipped my paw."

Vinetail examined the deep cut in her friend's paw. "Ouch. Here I'll come with you. I want to check on Nightsky."

"O-o-o-h!" Snowpelt purred, grinning with amusement. "Are you two mates now?"

"No! We'd never be." Vinetail hissed defensively. "Plus we're too young to even think about baring together."

"You have a point there."

They reached the medicine cat den and Vinetail called out to the silver-red she-cat.

"Did you finish?" Rosepetal called. "Come on in."

"Yep, I've finished." Vinetail replied as the two warriors padded into the den. "Is Nightsky here?"

"Hey! We came here for me."

"Yes. He's down through that tunnel. What can I do for you, Snowpelt?"

"I've got a bite on my paw. Could I have it checked?"

As Vinetail squeezed through the tunnel, she heard Rosepetal's voice slowly die away. "Sure. Bluepaw, could you finish mixing those herbs for me?" Vinetail heard the faint mewed from the apprentice as she stepped into a dark room full of injured warriors.

"Vinetail, is that you?" A voice rasped from the corner.

"Nightsky?" She murmured, padding up to the handsome dark blue tom. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine now, thanks to Rosepetal."

Vinetail felt lick she was being clawed at her heart, as it filled with jealousy.

"I'm glad you're ok." She muttered almost giving away her secret anger.

"I'm glad _you're_ ok!"

Nightsky leaned forward and licked the she-warrior's head. "You fought really well."

"You were really brave."

"Knock it off!" A voice yowled from the other side of the room. Vinetail scented it was Pinebark.

"Sorry Pinebark." Nightsky muttered laughing.

"Yeah, sorry." Vinetail added, smiling.

"I understand you both love each other but…" Pinebark grinned.

"We don't!" Vinetail objected.

"We're just friends." Nightsky meowed, annoyed.

"Ok, say what you like, but even the youngest kit can see right through to your hearts."

"Oh no, I care what other cats think of my love-life." Vinetail murmured sarcastically to herself. She got up and padded towards the tunnel.

"Where are you going?" Nightsky murmured.

"I'm going to check on Snowpelt, then I'm going to go hunting." Vinetail replied quietly.

Nightsky nodded as she turned and climbed up the tunnel. When Vinetail squeezed out the other end of the tunnel, she saw Bluepaw watching Rosepetal padding cobwebs into Snowpelt's paw. The young medicine cat swung her head around to her apprentice.

"Bluepaw, show me how to apply cobwebs." Rosepetal called. Bluepaw jumped up and padded to Snowpelt. His eyes filled with worry, but excitement. Vinetail guessed he was excited for his first treatment but worried he'd disappoint Rosepetal. The young silver cat prodded and kneaded the white warrior's paw, licking the cobwebs into place. He glanced up at Snowpelt and immediately continued licking.

"Good. Now go finish sorting those herbs." Rosepetal meowed.

"I've finished." Bluepaw murmured softly.

"Oh, then let's go and practice your fighting." Rosepetal got up. Bluepaw followed her out of the den.

"I'm going to go hunt." Vinetail meowed to Snowpelt.

"I'd come, but I can't put pressure on this paw." Snowpelt replied grimly. Vinetail shrugged and left Snowpelt in the den. She padded out into the clearing. Hazelwhisker, the deputy, was organizing patrols.

"Oh, Vinetail, could you join the hunting patrol?" The brown she-cat meowed, as she spotted the young she-warrior's presence.

"Um, sure. I was going out hunting anyway." Vinetail replied. "Who else is going?"

"Me and Emberburn." A voice called from the group of cats surrounding Hazelwhisker. Vinetail saw a black tom, Shadowstone, replying. He padded towards her.

"Could I bring Rainpaw if he's up to it?" Vinetail asked. She guessed he'd want something to take his mind of his sister's death.

"I guess so, if he wants to." Shadowstone replied.

"Ok, cool." Vinetail purred, slipping away towards the apprentice's den. She poked her head inside.

"Rainpaw?" She called. Her voice echoed around the den.

"Yeah..?" A voice called back miserably.

"Do you want to come on a hunting patrol?"

"Why?" He muttered. "So I take my mind off Silverpaw, im guessing? Typical."

"Well, yes. And we need prey for the clan."

"Fine. You'll probably bug me until I say yes." He grumbled.

The two cats padded out into the clearing. Shadowstone and Emberburn were waiting for them by the gorse tunnel. They padded out of camp towards the river. Vinetail sniffed the air. She could scent fish splashing in the river calmly. Vinetail dashed forward, every paw-step soft against the forest floor. She felt a crackle beneath her paws. Vinetail lifted her paw to see a fallen leaf on the ground. _Leaf-bare is coming!_

Vinetail walked through the gorse tunnel into camp. She carried two rabbits from the hunting patrol. Rainpaw ran to the fresh-kill pile and put his vole in, immediately running to the apprentice's den.

"Poor Rainpaw." Emberburn mumbled.

"You lost your sister, but I don't hear you complaining." Shadowstone muttered.

"But he's barely an apprentice. He shouldn't need to go through this." Vinetail pointed out.

"Yes. And Leaffall always knew her destiny." Emberburn mumbled quietly.

"What do you mean?" Vinetail asked.

"Nothing." Emberburn sighed. "Forget I said anything."

Emberburn padded away, Shadowstone following, leaving Vinetail alone.

"Hey, come join me to eat?" A voice called from beside Vinetail. She saw Nightsky with two voles.

"Err, sure." Vinetail replied padding over to the dark blue warrior. She picked up one of the voles from his paws and slowly ate.

"How was hunting patrol?" Nightsky asked.

"Good." Vinetail replied. "Aren't you supposed to be in with Rosepetal?"

"Yes, but she let me out." Nightsky murmured. "She told me to take care and I could leave."

Vinetail slowly nodded.

"Nightsky!" A voice called from behind the two warriors. Vinetail swung her head around to see Sharpthorn. She let out a sigh of relief that it wasn't Rosepetal. "Nightsky!

"What's wrong?" Nightsky replied.

"Blazestar wants a word with you and Vinetail."

"Okay…"

They padded to Blazestar's den. He laid in his nest and lifted his head as the warriors appeared.

"Vinetail, Nightsky" The leader dipped his dead. "I have to ask you two to do something for me…" He paused. "Starclan spoke with me. I need you two along with Snowpelt and Bluepaw to journey back into the Twoleg place and find your way to the forest…"

"We are meant to find the four clans, yes?" Vinetail asked.

"Yes…"

"They left the forest. They live in a new territory now."

"Where?" Blazestar looked curiously at Vinetail. "How do you know this?"

"Err… Blackbird… He uh…" Vinetail sat up straight. "He came to me in a dream and told me that we have to go to the 'Moonstone' and travel north. That is where we are meant to live."

Blazestar nodded. "There is only one thing we can do then." Blazestar padded out of his den and climbed up the Highrock. "Cats of Forestclan."

CHAPTER 12

"We shall enter the Twoleg place in two groups." Blazestar continued. "Autumnleaf, Dovewhisper, Emberburn, Sharpthorn, Maplefox, Morningsong, you will all go with Hazelwhisker and Rosepetal in one group. Falconclaw, Daisyfoot, Nightsky, Ashheart, Snowpelt, Rainpaw, Vinetail, you will all come with me and Bluepaw in a group. Everyone, eat before we leave at sunset. Be prepared to help carry food and herbs for Rosepetal and Bluepaw."

The clan looked at each other nervous to venture into this unknown land.

"Remember, Axel may be able to help us through the Twoleg place." Nightsky added, sitting beside Blazestar.

"Perhaps…" Blazestar nodded, then dismissed the meeting.

Vinetail woke from a well-deserved rest. She woke Nightsky and went to help get everyone ready.

"I can't believe we're really leaving…" Nightsky muttered as he picked up two voles.

"Yeah…" Vinetail murmured and licked his cheek.


End file.
